Comparison

First Bus vs Boringdon Hall

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

First Bus

Plan your bus journeys, track buses in real-time, and purchase digital tickets. Save favorite routes and stops for quick access. Manage your account and payments securely for a convenient travel experience.

Highlights
  • Journey planning
  • Live bus tracking
  • Digital ticket purchasing
  • Save favorite stops
  • Departure board
  • Gifting tickets
Features
Read full description

Plan your journey, track your bus, and travel with confidence using the First Bus app. With real-time updates, mobile tickets, and personalised tools, getting around by bus has never been easier. Bus travellers can buy, gift, and activate digital bus tickets, manage secure payments, and save favourite locations, stops, and services for quicker access. The app also supports account management, consent management, while providing access to help and support features. Whether you’re commuting, exploring, or travelling occasionally, the app helps you stay in control from door to door. Planning your journey Find the best routes using locations, stops, or service numbers. View routes, timings, and stop information to plan trips that suit you. Live Bus tracking See your bus in real time on an interactive map and get more accurate arrival estimates. This feature helps reduce waiting uncertainty, improves journey planning, and enables users to make informed travel decisions by knowing exactly where their bus is at any moment. Departure Board Check upcoming services for either your stop or route, with clear timings and filtering (such as First Bus only) options. The time and dates can also be easily adjusted for future travel plans. Favourites Save your most-used stops, locations, and bus services for quick access every time you travel. Buying Buy, gift, and activate digital tickets directly in the app with a variety of filters. Secure payments and instant access mean no paper tickets needed. Tickets appear instantly ready to use in your account. Gifting Send tickets to friends or family quickly and easily. During the ticket buying flow, users can choose to gift a ticket instead of using it themselves, enter recipient details, and complete the purchase securely. Activating Tickets Activate your ticket in the First Bus app when you’re ready to travel. Once activated, it clearly shows its status and validity, making it quick and easy to present when boarding the bus. Account and Payments The First Bus app lets users securely manage their account and payment details in one place. Users can sign up, sign in, and reset their password if needed, as well as view and update their personal information and account settings. They can also choose to delete their account if required. Within the app, users can manage saved payment cards, set a default payment method, and remove cards at any time. All payment information is handled securely, helping ensure a smooth, safe, and convenient ticket purchasing experience. Preferences Choose your region, set walking distance preferences, and manage consent and notifications. Help and support Access FAQs , contacts and support resources in our dedicated help centre.

About

Boringdon Hall

Discover a luxurious Devonshire manor with a rich history. Explore its opulent interiors, award-winning spa, and fine dining options. Enjoy personalized concierge services for a truly exceptional stay.

Highlights
  • Historic Devonshire manor
  • Luxurious rooms and suites
  • Michelin-starred restaurant
  • Award-winning wellness spa
  • Concierge and valet services
  • Afternoon tea and light bites
Features
Read full description

Boringdon's Devonshire manor became crown property following the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1539. The monarch later granted the property to his courtier Thomas Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton, who was a royal favourite. Since then, Boringdon Hall has since had a rather extravagant makeover, giving this stately pile a serious air of perfection, with devotedly designed interiors, 55 sumptuous rooms and suites, three tantalising restaurants including the Michelin-starred and 4 AA Rosette Àclèaf Restaurant, and the Great Hall where lighter bites and afternoon tea is served. On arrival, guests are greeted by the Boringdon Concierge who will assist with your luggage and take it to your room. We also offer a complimentary Valet Service to all our guests. Gaia Spa is a purpose-built wellness spa set within the grounds of Boringdon, a completely unique space for relaxation and reconnecting with nature, designed with the need for complete wellbeing in mind. 2019 Hotel Spa of the Year in Western Europe & Scandinavia at the World Spa & Wellness Awards Best Destination Spa in the UK & Ireland in 2018 Condé Nast Johansen Awards Sunday Times Number One Hotel & Spa 2016

Screenshots

First Bus4 screens
Boringdon Hall4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Boringdon Hall at 63% against First Bus's 23%. Boringdon Hall also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). First Bus's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (2.2K vs 4). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

First Bus holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: First Bus has 2.2K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 23% of First Bus's written reviews are positive against 63% of Boringdon Hall's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

First Bus ships an update every 9 days, Boringdon Hall every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
First Bus versus Boringdon Hall: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirst BusBoringdon Hall
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2.2K ratings) — better4.5 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews22.8% of reviews62.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.2K — better4
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size149 MB64 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFirstGroup PlcPHILEMA HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT LIMITED

Customer experience

First Bus

All ratings2,215 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral3.6%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews879 reviews
Positive22.8%
Neutral11.6%
Negative65.6%

Boringdon Hall

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral25.0%
Negative12.5%

Bugs and requests

First Bus

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App pausing music playback
  • Inconsistent bus tracking and location data
  • Inability to purchase certain ticket types

Requested features

4 requests
  • Offline ticket access
  • Improved journey planning with timetables
  • Service change notifications
  • Simpler and more user-friendly interface

Boringdon Hall

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

First Bus

No in-app purchases

None

Boringdon Hall

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is First Bus free?
First Bus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Boringdon Hall free?
Boringdon Hall is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, First Bus or Boringdon Hall?
First Bus is rated higher. First Bus averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Boringdon Hall averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.
Do First Bus or Boringdon Hall have ads?
First Bus shows ads; Boringdon Hall does not.
Which is updated more often, First Bus or Boringdon Hall?
First Bus ships an update every 9 days, and Boringdon Hall every 2 months. Most recently, First Bus was updated on October 21, 2026 and Boringdon Hall on October 4, 2026.

Other comparisons